'M. Consul-General were entertained at dinner last Friday by 29 former' members of the Royal Air Force, Mr. Swann in the chair.
Replying to the toast of his health Major Maclaren told some fine stories of his journey from Home. The world fight was first thought of two years ago when Maclaren returned from his duty in the Near East. He had already discussed it with Lieut. Plenderleith and they together discussed it with the Chief of Air Staff who was very keen. Having decided on the two senior officers they looked round for a mechanic and selected Serg. Andrews out of meny and after a three months course at. Napier's they were all ready for their trip. On March 25 they started from England and in easy stages got through Europe without any troubles or mishaps. They were as forced to land near Carts on a small lake, and found trouble with their reduction gear, which necessitated a new engine. They proceeded after days and got as far as Karachi when more trouble with their engine caused them another delay. They ended on the desert about 200 miles from "Karachi and about 20 from the railway. They were very well received in. spite of the dis-very assistance was given they. were able to get away again in seventeen days. They then went on to Calcutta and them to Akyab where they were forced to land on a small body of water. They were forced to stay there for Ure days owing to the torrential rains.
As a result of their mishap at Karachi everything had been. righ toned up, but during the rains the strain was 20 mich that everything tended to buckle. They took off with a machine that was practically waterlogged and got up a fow feet when she came down, and broke her ack. This necessitated anew machine, vhich through the kind~ ness of the American" navy they were able to' get from Hakodate, where it had Been sent in ease i should be needed "for the trans-Pocife flight. Te arrived in a very heavy"case and was almost lost in the sea as the crane, which patting it overside, fell overboard, Dut fortunately landed the case in safety. They were able to rig the machine and get it under way in a very short while after its arrival. They had rigged up a tem. porary hanger and had" to work about six inches of water, with rain the whole time, They were ready to leave Rangoon when they received a wire from the American filers saying that they would be there next day. They waited but the Americans did not turn up and they started.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.